Road to Recovery
by Notewriter
Summary: The war is finally over, Edward and Alphonse lay recovering in the hospital. While Ed was able to restore Al's body. He wasn't so lucky himself. The road to recovery is gonna be tough. A short fic of the aftermath. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Road to Recovery

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of these wonderful characters.

Chapter 1

He couldn't believe it was over! After years of fighting and surviving, his injuries were finally catching up with him. That's how the world works after all, equivalent exchange. All the energy he put in has been depleted and it's time to recharge. Even with all the pain and exhaustion plaguing him, Ed still couldn't give in to sleep. He tried to shift in bed without aggravating the throbbing pain in his right shoulder and left leg, not to mention all the other injuries he'd sustained from the final fight with the homunculus.

Although, he had been hopeful that they'd come out with both their bodies restored, it always seemed like a pipe dream to him. A child's unrealistic dream.

All that mattered now was that Al's body was returned. He looked to his right to check on his little brother. Al was covered with a number of blankets fast asleep with several IVs connected to him. He looked a little worse for wear, but that was to be expected after what his body had been through. It was a blessing that he survived. More of a miracle, actually! Ed tried to hold on to that thought for a moment. Isn't that what you're supposed to do? Focus on what you have, not what you lost. And yet all he could think about was how it was going to take Al months to recover, since his body was severely malnourished. Every time he looked at him, his stomach did a little dip in shock. It will take him a while to get used to seeing Al's face again.

And, what about him? No! Now was not the time to think about himself. After all, he really brought this all upon himself. He was the big brother and it was his job to take care of Al. Not that there was anything he could do for him at the moment. He brought his focus back to the slumbering Al for a moment and then turned his head to stare bleakly at the ceiling.

They were brought to the hospital a few hours ago, after the whole ordeal was finished. Their wounds were treated to the best of the hospital's abilities and resources. Unfortunately, there were a lot of shortages and they had to make do with what was available. At least they had the room to themselves with trusted guards posted outside the door. It was a relief not having to worry about their safety for a while, though they couldn't be sure if there were any enemies left.

The country was in tatters and would no doubt need years to recover. At least, for now he knew a good man was in charge, loath though he was to admit that Mustang was such a thing. He couldn't feel any sense of victory. They lost a lot of good people to this war. And he lost even more. He started the whole journey by failing to revive his mother and now ended his journey by failing to restore his arm and leg. He failed everyone around him. Failure seems to be his only faithful companion.

On that thought, he heard the door open, but didn't turn to see who came in. He closed his eyes and feigned sleep. The hesitant sound of footsteps approached his bed. He felt a hand gently push away his hair from his face and had to refrain from flinching, until he smelled a familiar scent. Home, he never realized until that moment that he could reduce the smell of home to an identifiable scent. The feminine aroma of a flower he couldn't name with the faint contrasting whiff of Automail oil.

Ed resisted the urge to open his eyes and tried to calm his pounding heart. He hadn't seen Winry in months and couldn't bear the thought of facing her after he'd broken his promise. He heard her take a deep breath and then the shuffle of her feet as she turned around and headed to Al's bedside. His heart ached as he heard her try to hold back tears as she looked at Al's sleeping form. He chanced opening his eyes enough to see her standing with her back to him facing Al, her shoulders shaking with her silent sobs. Perhaps it was better if he kept his eyes closed after all.

He heard the door open again, there was a pause before someone came in and closed the door.

"Ms. Rockbell, I didn't expect you to be here so soon." said a low voice, it took him a moment to realize it was Mustang's. His voice sounded hoarse and lacked his usual authoritativeness.

"I was on my way to Central when I heard the news, Ed called me before it all happened. Told me to leave the country. The idiot!" Winry's voice shook as her attempt at humor fell flat. "I can't believe it's over, that Alphonse got his body back! But they told me Ed.." Her voice trailed off and I felt her gaze fall upon me.

"He will recover in time. The kid's tenacious if nothing else" Mustang said as he approached the bed. It rankled that everyone still thought of him as a kid, but he tried to contain his annoyance and focus on the conversation.

"How long do they have to stay here? No one will tell me anything!" Winry said in a rush. Ed hated to hear the desperate note in her voice. He almost opened his eyes before Mustang replied.

"They need to recover for a few weeks before they can be moved anywhere. I believe it's best if you stay close by. I'm sure it will be a comfort to them to have someone they know here to help. It will be rough for a while." He paused before continuing. "Would you like the military to provide you with lodgings for the time being?"

Winry paused for a moment before replying, "Can I stay here with them? I promise I won't get in the way! I'll even try to help out the doctors if anyone needs a consult for Automail. Besides, I know Ed will definitely need someone to help out with his. I haven't had the heart to check the extent of the damage."

"I'm sure a bed can be added to the room. I'll have Lieutenant Hawkeye make the needed arrangements." His voice got lower as he approached the door. Ed heard the door open, but did not hear it close. "Take care of them." Mustang muttered before the door closed.

Ed heard Winry approach his bed again. She walked away and returned a moment later dragging something along to his bedside. He heard her settle closer on what must have been a chair, and then felt her soft hand take hold of his left. Winry squeezed his hand for a moment before laying her head along his arm, careful not to jostle the IV connected there. She sighed and he felt a trickle of wetness on his arm.

"You can't scare me like this again, Edward." He heard her mutter before sleep finally claimed him.

TBC.

AN/ I'm not sure if anyone is still interested in Fullmetal Alchemist. But for me, I doubt I will ever get over this series (both animes and manga). I hope you all liked the chapter! I will mostly update once a week (maybe more, depending on the encouragement). It will probably be a short-ish story. (Up to 10 chapters or so..)

Reviews would be really appreciated! And typos are bound to happen, let me know if you find any :)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter 2

Edward Elric couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this horrible. He was sure he'd been through worse, but couldn't muster up the energy to recall when that was. Ed woke up a few moments earlier to a pounding headache and parched throat. He could feel his injuries burn beneath the bandages, and yet he felt a deep chill. A pulsing throb that followed the beat of his heart passed throughout his body. His right shoulder and left leg felt like they were being ironed. 'That can't be good.' He thought.

Ed tried to turn his attention from his body to take in his surroundings. There was a faint light in the room coming in from the window above his head. Dawn was breaking. He started to turn his head to the right to check on his little brother, but felt the pounding in his head intensify at that small movement. He groaned from the pain, but barely a croak came out. He opened his eyes again, not remembering that he shut them in the first pace and looked at Al. His brother was still sleeping deeply. Ed wanted to reach out and touch him. To convince himself that he's not imagining the whole thing. Then again, if he was imagining his brother it wouldn't be like this. With a gaunt face, cracked lips and shadows under his eyes. He mentally berated himself; he's alive. That's what matters.

A soft shuffle and a muttered "Ed" had him turning his head to the other side. After the pain from the movement settled and he could open his eyes again, Ed saw Winry rubbing one of her eyes and looking his way.

She got up from the bed they'd brought it in for her and approached him.

"Ed, you're awake! I was so worried!" She exclaimed in a hushed tone.

Ed opened his mouth to speak only to get caught up in a coughing fit that seemed to jar his whole aching body. He saw Winry running toward a table on the side with a jug of water and cups. She filled up a glass of water and rushed to his side again. She put the glass toward his mouth and tried to raise his head by pushing up the pillow beneath. He drank some of the water and it seemed to help with his dry throat. She took away the glass and wiped up the excess water from his face and froze with her hand on his cheek.

"You're burning up!" She whispered in alarm. She turned around and ran to the door. He could hear her calling out for help followed by the hurried footsteps heading in their direction. He saw a man and woman in scrubs approach his bed.

"Mr. Elric, My name is Joanna Drake and I'll be your Doctor? Can you tell me how you're feeling?" Asked the woman who seemed to be taking the lead.

"Head hurts...everything hurts" rasped Edward and closed his eyes. He felt something cold on his chest followed by some shifting of his bandages, and finally a push to open his mouth to put in the thermometer.

"Must be an infection, he has a very high fever." Said Dr. Drake in a hushed voice after taking out the thermometer. "Unfortunately, there's not much we can do, since we haven't received any more supplies yet. He has to fight it on his own. We'll clean out the wounds again and redress them."

"But, even if you clean the wounds, if there's an infection..." Winry trailed off.

"I realize it's not an ideal solution. I'm hoping if we lower the strain on his body, he has a better chance of fighting off the infection naturally. The Automail is also a concern, as it might be adding more stress if it's not functioning properly. It's impossible to remove it completely, but perhaps if we detach it, he'll have a better chance." The doctor said with a sigh.

"I can do it. I helped install it in the first place." Winry said in a rush.

"I didn't realize you're the engineer they were referring to. Yes, I believe that's the for the best. Nurse Adams here will help clean and redress the wounds." She said indicating the man in scrubs behind her. "And let him know what you will need to remove the Automail. I have to check on the other patients, but let me know his condition changes one way or the other." With that she turned around and left the room.

Nurse Adams approached the bed bringing along a tray which he placed on a table beside the bed. He turned to Edward and said, " Don't worry Mr. Elric, you'll be just fine. This young lady and I will take good care of you." He looked to Winry and said, "I know she seems really abrupt, but she's actually really good at what she does. The hospital is really understaffed and it doesn't help that we have a shortage in essential medicines and other supplies. It's hard to feel helpless when you're the one people look to for help." He finished.

"I guess I understand." Winry said hesitantly. "What can I do to help?"

"Let's get started. Mr. Elric this will be uncomfortable to say the least, but bear with us. Miss .." He turned to Winry realizing he doesn't know her name.

"It's Winry Rockbell and you can call me Winry. You're nurse Adams, right?" Winry finished.

"Yes, but feel free to call me Adams, everyone does."

In the middle of the haze Ed was in, he couldn't help feeling annoyed. Here they were making friends and practically flirting. He sure wouldn't do that to Winry if she was in pain. Wait, why was he thinking about this right now.

Ed came into focus again as Nurse Adams lowered the covers. "Do you want to remove the Automail first, or do you prefer to leave it until the end?" Nurse Adams asked Winry.

"I haven't checked the damage yet. Let me see to that before deciding." Responded Winry as she approached his right arm. Not that you could really call it that anymore. During the fight it was practically smashed to pieces. Not even the shoulder port stayed intact.

"Oh, Ed! What have you done!" Exclaimed Winry as she looked over his arm. "There is no way this can be fixed, I have to remake it from scratch. Were you able to move it at all, Ed?" She asked looking towards him. Ed tried to shrug to show her, and felt a spike of pain along his shoulder where the Automail was connected.

"No! Don't move!" She sighed. "I guess if you can shrug, you can move it a little. We may have to rebuild the whole thing from the shoulder port. Let me check his leg first, but I think it will be best if we remove both at the same time. One shock instead of two." She moved around the bed towards his left leg. "Yes, the leg port at least is fine, though the leg itself is totaled." She finished looking towards Nurse Adams. "Have you ever detached Automail before?"

"I've seen it done before, but I'm sure if you give me direction I can do it." He said coming to her side.

"Alright, I think you should do the leg and I'll do the arm since it has more damage." She indicated Ed's leg and started to explain what to do. Ed felt himself start to drift from the conversation. His head was swimming with annoyance and discomfort. He came to as Winry was calling his name.

" Ed, can you hear me? Ed?" She was very persistent. He was finally able to grunt in response.

"We're gonna start now, Ed. Don't worry, you'll be fine. You know how it is, just a moment of pain." She said with an attempt at a reassuring smile. A moment of pain my ass, he couldn't help but think.

He heard her talking to the nurse and what sounded like a countdown before he felt a searing pain like a current go through his whole body. It may be true that attaching Automail hurt more than detaching it. But that didn't mean detaching it didn't hurt like hell.

Ed felt himself drifting away as they continued to move around him. He heard Winry call out his name and that was it. Blackness swallowed him

"He's passed out" Whispered Winry.

"I think that's for the best." Nurse Adams said quietly as he brought the tray closer to disinfect all the wounds again. He started with the big gash on Ed's forehead before continuing on to his left shoulder. Winry watched him as he efficiently redressed all of Ed's wounds. Winry had seen her fair share of injuries, but some of the one's on Ed's torso made her cringe. How can these two brothers get in so much trouble. At least they've seen the last of it. For now at least.

As Nurse Adams finished up, Winry wiped her forehead and looked to Ed's face. His face was flushed and his breathing seemed to be a little too fast for her taste.

"You can use a cold compress. It's not the most effective method, but there's a reason it's the standard." Nurse Adams told her and headed towards the door. He hesitated as he was leaving. "I know this may not seem like much, but we have done all we can do for now. And he definitely has a fighting chance." He told her kindly. "Let me know if you need anything." He took one final look at Edward, gave Alphonse a glance and left the room.

Winry took in the scene around her again. Ed seemed so small, though she knew he'd hate it if he knew she thought that. Perhaps she can use that as a bargaining method next time he wanted to go off on an insane quest. She looked to Al, who seemed to be still fast asleep, and back to Ed.

Sighing, Winry went to wet a towel and settled in beside Edward. She passed the cold cloth along his face, pausing a little as she saw Ed try to get away from the cold. She drifted her fingers through his hair until he settled down again.

"This better be the last time I have to save your life, Edward. I swear if you die, I'll follow you wherever you go and murder you myself."

Ed shuddered beneath her hands.

"Ed, are you awake?" She asked. After a few moments of silence, she settled in again, moving the cloth along his neck.

"At least your body knows to be afraid of my threats." She whispered.

TBC.

AN:/ Phew! That went a bit longer than I expected. I hope you all liked the chapter. Thanks for all the encouragement, from the reviews to the follows and favorites! I'd really appreciate feedback!


	3. Chapter 3

Dislaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter 3

Alphonse Elric was confused. He could feel his consciousness fighting against something. Something he hadn't felt for the longest time… that he couldn't put his finger on. He was sure if he just focused his memories a little he'd know what it was. His whole body felt achy and there was a churning in his stomach that he hadn't felt in quite a while either. He heard a sound coming from his stomach, much like the sound Ed's stomach makes whenever he's hungry. Hunger! That's it! As his eyes finally opened, squinting slightly due to the brightness of his surrounding, it finally sunk in that he'd been asleep. Alphonse hadn't slept in… he paused mid-thought, he didn't even know how many years. He hadn't felt much of anything for such a long time; it was a shock to be feeling so much.

He could feel himself lying on his back on a rather hard mattress. Could feel his back aching from being in the same position for what must have been a long time. There was a weight distributed upon him from several blankets that were covering him. And yet, despite all the blankets, his still felt cold. As he tried to shift to ease his back, he could feel a sting in his arms as if there something was clinging to his skin and wouldn't let go. His heart started racing in panic as he tried to shift his arms to get rid of the tugging on his skin. He heard a fast movement from beside him and still blinded from the light, felt his panic rise. His breathing quickened and he whimpered in fear.

"Al! Calm down! Stop moving your arms or you'll hurt yourself. It's just IVs." Said a panicked voice and he felt a light pressure on his shoulders pushing him down.

Alphonse froze. Winry? What could Winry be doing here? He stopped resisting and tried to focus his eyes.

"It's alright! You're alright! That's it, just take a deep breath." Winry said soothingly. He could finally make out her blonde hair through a halo of light. Her features slowly coming into focus; worry apparent in her eyes.

He'd never felt this helpless. He could feel tremors passing through his muscles from the effort and his heart was still fluttering in his chest. He took in a deep breath, and pushed it out in an effort to slow his breathing. His body wasn't cooperating with his will and it took him a while to settle down again even with Winry murmuring reassuringly in the background. He felt her warm hand reach for his cold one beneath the blankets and felt his eyes brim with tears. Touch. He hadn't touched or made contact with anyone since he lost his body.

"Winry..." He managed weakly.

"You're back, Alphonse! You finally got your body back." Winry started crying, her face distorting with emotion. She held his hand tighter and his hand twitched in an attempt to squeeze back.

"What...happened? Brother?" He couldn't seem to muster up enough strength to speak. Exhaustion weighing every word.

"You don't remember?" Winry asked worriedly. "The war is finally over, we won! And Ed... I don't know how he did it! He got your body back." She shifted slightly. "He's sleeping in the next bed."

Al looked to his left beyond Winry and saw his brother. His eyed widened in horror. Why did he still have a shoulder port? Even his automail arm was gone! What did this mean? Winry just told him they'd gotten their bodies back, didn't she? He tried to recall what happened. His last memory was of the moment when they stood in front of the gate and faced off against the Truth. And that was it. He couldn't remember what happened afterwards.

"Ed's... arm..." Al mentally cursed his current state. He couldn't even ask about his brother in one breath! He tried to squeeze Winry's hand and looked to her face again.

Winry looked at him and sighed. "I don't know what happened exactly. They told me they found the two of you near where the battle took place. You were back in your body, though unconscious and seriously malnourished. And Ed... Ed was severely injured, his automail arm was shattered. But he was awake and calling for someone to help you. They moved you both here and you've been asleep for two days."

"But, Big brother is..." He trailed off.

"What matters now is that you're both safe and on the mend. You can worry about everything else once you're better. Let me call someone. I'm sure they need to check you over." Winry gave his hand one last squeeze and moved to the door. Al looked at Ed again. He looked so fragile. He felt tears gathering in his eyes once more. He never imagined they would end up like this. Maybe it was naïve of him, but he always thought they'd get their perfect ending. All or nothing. It never occurred to him that one of them wouldn't regain their body.

'What happened? Why couldn't I help Ed like he helped me?' Despair continued to fill Al as he looked at his brother. He heard the door open again and saw Winry come in followed by a woman in scrubs.

"Mr. Elric, I heard that you're finally awake. Can you tell me how you're feeling?" The doctor asked and proceeded to check his pulse and the IVs.

"Not sure... everything feels strange. I can't move well and I... I think I'm hungry."

"Well, that's a good sign. From what I understand your body was deprived of food and water for a long time and movement had been limited. It'll take your muscles a while to regain their strength. As for food, it's best to start with something light to see what your stomach can handle." The doctor proceeded to write a few notes. "I'll ask someone to bring in some soup. Just take it easy for now." She gave him a tired smile and turned to leave. Before she reached the door, Al called out to her.

"Doctor, my brother..."

She paused by the door and gave Edward a look before looking to him.

"I won't lie to you. Your brother has a tough road ahead of him. He has an infection and a very high fever. And there's only so much we can do without the needed medication. Your friend here is taking care of him. I hear he's a fighter. I'm sure he'll be able to fight this off as well." She finished and left the room.

Winry came closer. "Ed will be fine. You know how he is; he doesn't ever let anything keep him down for long. He'll be and about in no time." She gave his shoulder a squeeze. "How about I help you get settled in before they bring the soup."

"Thanks Winry."

Winry raised the back of the bed and pushed another pillow behind Al's head. Once he was seated in the bed, she went to a table with a water jug and filled a cup with a little water.

"I think you should take it slowly." She said as she raised the cup to his mouth and tipped it slightly. The first sip of water felt heavenly. He tried to raise his hands to reach the cup, but barely managed halfway. He almost protested when she took it away.

Alphonse watched as Winry set his cup aside and went to Edward's side. She took away a cloth that was set on his forehead, rewet it from a bowl of water beside the bed and returned it to the same place. She tenderly touched Ed's cheek, but seemed to remember that she was being watched and stopped abruptly. Her cheeks were red as she turned around and wouldn't meet his eyes.

"So, what can I get you?" Winry asked moving quickly to his side.

"Um, could you tie my hair back, please? I can't raise my arms much. And I'm not used to having it in my face."

"Sure." She said gently. "Do you want me to braid it like Ed does?"

"No!" He said abruptly. "I'm sorry, it's just I don't want to feel like I'm taking more from Edward. I already…" Al felt his throat tighten with emotion. "Just pulling it back is enough."

"Alphonse, you didn't take anything from Edward! He would hate it if he heard you say that!"

"But, I got my body and he… he must hate…" Alphonse couldn't finish. They'd made a promise to each other. His brother risked his life and kept his word. What about him? He couldn't even remember what happened to try to make sense of everything.

"Al, you can't think like that." She said quietly. "If it was the other way around, would you hate him?"

"I could never hate him, but…" Al said heatedly.

"Don' be 'n idiot, Al." This came from a weak voice to his left. Al looked at Ed and saw him looking their way. His eyes barely open. Winry rushed to his side.

"Ed, are you alright?" She asked him.

" 'm fine." He slurred. "Jus' tired." And he closed his eyes again.

"Ed!" Al called out. Ed didn't open his eyes again and didn't even twitch when Winry got close and shifted the cloth on his forehead.

"I think he went back to sleep. At least now you know he doesn't hate you. So, get that stupid idea out of your head." Winry said pointedly. She gently tucked the cover around Ed again.

Al felt his heart swell up in relief. His brother didn't hate him. He always figured, as long as he has his brother with him. He could deal with anything. And now it was his turn to take care of Ed. Not that Ed would ever admit to needing help with anything. But Al was gonna do that anyway. Perhaps there was still hope for him to restore his brother's body. He would go to the ends of the earth to accomplish that, even if he had to drag his brother along with him kicking and screaming.

Al settled back against the pillows. He would start searching as soon as he left the hospital. For now, he was just gonna recover his strength. There was still hope for a perfect ending after all.

TBC

AN/ Thanks everyone for all the follows, favorites and reviews. I hope you like the story. I can't seem to keep away from writing more.

Please let me know what you think. Reviews would be really appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter Four

Edward Elric was 99.9% sure he was dreaming, but perhaps this fell more in the nightmare category. As long as he was aware of that, he could get through it. Or so he was trying to convince himself. Ed felt terror as he ran through the streets of Central with eyes following his every movement. He dodged through shots and clapped his hands together to put up a wall. He was finally surrounded from all sides by darkened forms. He stood his ground as he saw one of the figures approaching.

Al appeared in front of him. The relief he felt in that moment almost brought him to his knees.

"Why are you running big brother?" Al asked with chilling calm.

"They're following me, they're gonna get us, Al! We have to go!" Ed pleaded urgently.

"But you can't run, you don't have a leg." Al continued in the same manner.

"Wha- What do you mean?" Ed looked down and saw his left leg collapse beneath his weight. He slammed to the ground and looked up at Al.

"Al, what is this?" Ed croaked.

"And now, your arm." Al said.

Ed saw his right arm disappear and felt himself fall forward once more. He raised his head and pushed his body up with his left hand. "Al, what's going on?"

"And now. It's my turn." Al finished calmly and started disappearing right before his eyes.

"Al!" Ed screamed. He felt the ground shake and heard Al call out to him from a distance. He felt his back slam hard against something and woke with a gasp.

"Ed! Are you alright?" Winry asked anxiously.

Ed lay on his back for a moment trying to regain his breath. He saw Winry at his side leaning over him, and Al hanging over the side of his bed with an anxious look on his face.

He gave a sigh of relief. Al was fine.

"I'm fi—" He started to say as he tried to get up, but couldn't regain his balance. He froze as he realized why he felt so unsteady. His arm and leg were not attached. He felt a lurch in his stomach and looked up at Winry.

"Why?" He barely managed to get out.

"Oh, Ed… We had to do it. They were really badly damaged and your body couldn't take the stress. Here, let me help you get back in bed." She reached out to grab his left arm, but he snatched it away.

"Don't touch me!" He said with a hiss. He'd never felt this angry with Winry in his life. He'd fought so long not to feel helpless and now just when he needed to feel in control, she took that away.

"Big Brother, she had to do it." Al said from above, his voice pleading.

"I don't care!" He could feel that he was being irrational, but that only made him madder. He turned himself around, grabbed the bed and got his right leg beneath him. He pulled himself up slightly only to lose his grip and fall back down on the ground. He lay there fuming for a second before he felt two strong hands clutch his left arm and start pulling him up.

"You know what, Ed! I don't care how mad you are right now! I did it to save your life you idiot! And I would do it again and again if I had to! I will do whatever it takes and I don't care if you hate me for it! Now, you either let me help you get back in bed, or your next Automail arm will be pink and have flowers all over it!" She finished heatedly and started lifting him up. Ed stilled for a moment before he pulled himself up to the bed again with her help. There was an awkward silence as Ed settled back in the bed and Winry started fussing around him. Ed looked to the side and saw Al looking at Winry with wide eyes. Ed felt his lips twitch and turned an involuntary chuckle to a cough. Winry was looking at him suspiciously.

"I'm… I'm sorry." He finally managed with difficulty.

"Fine!" Winry snapped. "I'm gonna go let the doctor know you're awake." She continued angrily. With that, she turned around and left the room, slamming the door behind her.

"You know, that might just be the touch you were looking for." Al said timidly.

Ed looked to Al and they both burst out laughing. After their laughter quieted, Ed looked to Al and could feel his throat tighten with emotion. "Glad to have you back, Al."

Al's face scrunched up. "It's good to be back." He said tearfully.

Ed looked away and wiped his eyes quickly.

"Ed?" Al was hesitant. "What happened? How did I get my body back? And you…"

Al's question was interrupted as the door opened and Winry rushed in followed by the same doctor he vaguely remembered seeing before.

"Mr. Elric, glad to hear you're feeling better. Though I'd rather you leave jumping out of bed until a bit later in your recovery." Dr. Drake told him casually as she started checking him over. Ed gave Winry a glare, and she pointedly looked away and started talking to Al.

Dr. Drake reattached the IV that was in his left arm and started checking whether his injuries had reopened.

"The good news is, none of your wounds reopened and your fever has gone down for the most part, but I'd still like you to take it easy. I'll have someone bring in a meal along with the one coming for the other Mr. Elric. We need you to get your strength back; you have a long road ahead of you." She looked to Winry. "We need you for a consult if you don't mind. I have a patient with an amputation who seems to think not having an arm is the end for him. Perhaps I'll have you talk to him as well, Mr. Elric." She finished looking to Ed.

"Not sure I'll be the best example at the moment." Ed noted quietly.

"The stories I've heard don't really fit with your statement." Countered Dr. Drake. "Either way, I won't force you to do anything. But, whether you like it or not, you're an inspiration to many and it's up to you if you'd like to use that to help others." Ed felt his annoyance spike as she left the room.

"What exactly does she expect me to do? It's not like I can go out there and show off what Automail can do. I'm more of a pathetic cautionary tale." Ed grumbled.

"If you really believe that Edward, maybe you aren't the best person to talk to that amputee after all." Winry chided and left the room with a huff.

"Do you wanna storm off as well?" Ed turned to Al who was watching everything quietly.

"I can't exactly do that at the moment. But... even if I could, I would never give up on you, Ed!" Al said earnestly; his eyes shining with determination.

Ed looked at Al with a somber expression. He knew he should feel bad about disappointing Winry, but he couldn't bring himself to do that yet.

"Big brother…" Al said hesitantly. "What happened?"

Ed looked down and clenched the sheet with his left hand. This was about the last thing he wanted to talk about, but he knew he couldn't put it off any longer.

"What's the last thing that you remember?" Ed asked quietly, still not looking at Al.

"You were trapped with your arm stuck to that rock. And I had May throw her knives… that's where it all goes fuzzy."

"Yeah, I figured that's be the last thing you'd remember. You got my arm back for a bit and I finished off the battle with everyone's help. But you were gone… and I couldn't have that." Ed hesitated. "I knew you would still be waiting behind the gate, finally united with your body. So I went there to face off against the Truth. I reversed the last sacrifice you made, your soul for my arm again."

"But my body! How did you get it back?" Al asked bewildered.

"Yeah, that's where it got tricky. The truth is you already suffered for the whole time you were in that suit of armor. Not to mention, since we transmuted our mom and I found out later that it wasn't her… they should have never taken your body in the first place. And that was it. Logic goes hand in hand with the truth after all." Ed concluded, hoping Al wouldn't question him too much. He would hopefully never find out the rest of the truth.

"I can't believe it." Al said faintly, shaking his head slightly. "I'm so sorry, brother. You lost your arm again."

"Don't! If you think I care about that…"Ed shook his head. "What matters is that you're back! It's done!" Ed finished vehemently.

Al looked like he wanted to argue, instead he whispered. "Thank you…"

"Well, I only did it to have someone shorter than me around." Ed said trying to lighten the mood.

Al gave him a shaky smile, "Just you wait, I'll be taller than you in no time! Especially if you don't drink your milk. " He said cheekily.

"Aargh, why did you have to bring milk into this?" Ed grumbled.

A knock came at the door startling them both.

"Come in." Ed said hesitantly.

Colonel Roy Mustang - or was it Major General- entered the room followed by Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. Ed really couldn't catch a break.

TBC

AN/ I hope everyone liked the chapter! I always thought the loss of Alchemy for Ed was one of the most painful parts about the ending. More explanations are still coming.

Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favorites! I would love to hear what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter 5

The awkward silence in the room was deafening! Roy Mustang has been getting the same reaction over and over since he started these visits. He was starting to suspect it had something to do with him, but perhaps that was a little egotistical.

He felt like he'd been running around ever since he recovered his eyesight, and even before that. The whole country was facing an upheaval and it was essential to position in command a trustworthy leader before the power plays started. Someone with everyone's best interest at heart and so, Grumman was finally assigned that morning as a temporary Fuhrer until the country was stable enough for elections. It was going to be an uphill battle; a cleansing of the military was needed as every day more of the corruption is unearthed.

All the instructions were given for order to be restored, and now he finally had time to make the visit he'd been waiting for. The reports after all never gave you the entire picture.

Roy took in the two brothers as they regarded him quietly from their beds. After a cursory glance with which he took in Al's still emaciated body and Ed's pale and thinner than normal face, not to mention the fact that he'd obviously had both his automail limbs removed; the Elric brothers were looking a little worse for wear to say the least.

"Fullmetal, Alphonse, Glad to see you're both doing better." He started pleasantly.

Roy saw Ed stiffen and look away from him; he realized his mistake a moment too late. "Not sure that name applies to me anymore." Ed pointed out quietly, still not meeting anyone's eyes.

"We sure are, Colonel. Thank you for asking!" Al said gently, as always trying to diffuse the tension. "I'd heard that you'd gotten your vision back. I'm really happy it all worked out."

Never one to let silences linger, Roy went with the offered olive branch. "Yes, Dr. Marco was kind enough to reverse the blindness." He said simply. His heart raced every time he thought about those hours he spent in darkness. It wasn't like he did something that warranted him losing his eyesight; he didn't think he would ever forget the injustice and loss of control. It's true what they say about not realizing the value of something until you've lost it. He mentally shook himself and continued. "I am certainly lucky."

"You shouldn't have lost your eyesight." Ed said grudgingly finally looking at him. "There was no equivalent exchange. Just, don't…" He looked down and seemed to gather himself. "Don't let it all go to waste, Bastard Colonel" Ed finished his eyes shining with emotion. It was heartening to see that Ed hadn't lost his resolve in all of this.

"I appreciate the sentiment, though not the 'Bastard Colonel' part. And for accuracy's sake, you may want to start referring to me as General now." Roy replied with his signature smirk.

"Bastard General, it is then." Ed conceded, his lips twitching slightly. Roy tuned to Alphonse who was also audibly stifling his laughter.

"Alphonse, could you give us a moment? There's some official business that I would like to discuss with your brother." Roy asked politely, knowing what was coming.

"What do you think you're doing? Why are you kicking him out? Whatever you wanna say to me, you can say in front of Al!" Ed exclaimed heatedly.

"It's alright, Ed." Al said cajolingly. "It's time for my walk anyway. You know I need to regain my strength." He looked to the side where a walker stood beside his bed. Riza Hawkeye immediately moved to his side and proceeded to help him get started. Al graciously accepted the help. "I'm afraid you have to bear with me Lieutenant, this will take a while." Al said lightly.

"Of course, and it's Riza." She said gently as she helped him from the bed.

It was painful to watch Al's slow progress to the door. He was visibly shaky and his gait rather unsteady. He gave his brother one last reassuring look as Riza closed the door behind them.

Roy took in Ed's clenched fist and glare before proceeding.

"It will be a while before things settle down completely in Central, especially with the military. That's why it took so long to arrange this visit." He hesitated a moment. "It took some organizing, but I finally managed to get them. It helps to have the Fuhrer on your side" Roy continued calmly.

"Get what?" Ed questioned, finally some curiosity entering his voice.

"Your military discharge papers." Roy stated. He watched Ed's face blanch of color and his eyes widen. This wasn't quite the reaction he was expecting. He thought there'd be jumping around, a cry of 'Finally!', even a fist pump. But the heavy silence that followed his words felt like a physical force within the room.

"I guess the military has no need for cripples. Is that it? I'm no longer useful." Ed stated with a chilling calm.

Roy Mustang could count on one hand the times he was stunned speechless and this was certainly taking a top spot.

"Fullmetal…" He started hesitantly.

"Don't call me that!" Ed snapped.

"Edward." He started again carefully "What you're saying is simply untrue. Hard as it is for me to admit it, you were instrumental to us winning this war. In fact, that's the reason they rushed the release of your paperwork. Your hatred for the military is legendary and everyone wanted to help you out." He coaxed. "This has been your goal ever since you joined. You never wanted to be a dog of the military."

Ed silently stared at the wall beyond him, his eyes unfocused. Something was clearly troubling him. Roy picked up a chair and set it beside the bed. If he was going to get to the bottom of this, Ed would need to feel like his equal. They would never get anywhere with him looking down at Ed.

"Fullm… Edward. You have been working towards this moment for years. But if you have changed your mind, it would actually be very useful to me if you chose to stay with the military. It might even get me towards my goal faster." Roy said with a smirk trying to get a rise from the younger man. But even those words didn't get Ed out of his stupor. He continued to stare blankly ahead before finally mumbling, "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Are you telling me that _the Fullmetal Alchemist_ , the youngest State Alchemist ever appointed and genius in his own right, doesn't know what to do with his freedom?" Roy questioned breezily still trying to get a reaction.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." Ed finally looked at Roy, his eyes lacking their usual glimmer.

Roy considered Ed for moment then said, "You find a new goal and aim for that. Feeling sorry for yourself is not going to help anyone. There are a lot of people out there who are worse off than you! People who have no power to change anything… and you Edward are not one of those people. " With that he stood up and put an envelope on the table by the bed. "I will leave the papers here. You have a week to make your decision." Roy paused for a moment. "You will always be a part of the military, Edward. And people will never forget what you did for this country, of that I'm sure. But staying with the military because it's the easy way is… it's not you." As he finished the door behind him opened and he heard the light rustle of steps.

"I hope you're done. I'm afraid I can't really walk much, yet." Al's voice said tentatively from behind.

"Yes, I believe I am done. I will return in a week."

As he moved towards the door, he heard Alphonse whisper, "Brother, are you alright?" and as he closed the door behind him, he faintly heard the reply, "I don't know."

Roy gave a sigh and turned to Riza Hawkeye who was waiting patiently by his side.

"Make sure I'm always updated on Fullmetal's condition." He told her quietly.

After a pause, she asked, "Do you believe there's cause for worry?"

"The war may be over, but the fight is still not finished."

He looked to the closed door, heard murmurs coming from within and hoped Al would be able to talk some sense into his brother. Gathering himself he proceeded to his next visit, his mind still occupied with thoughts of his last one.

TBC

AN/ I hope you liked the chapter! Would love to hear what you think! Thanks for the reviews, and the addition to favorite and follow lists. Hopefully the next chapter will come within the week.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter 6

Alphonse Elric always considered himself an easy going guy. Even with all the things that he's been through, he tried to keep a positive outlook on everything. He lived as a suit of armor for years and still managed to be a delight to everyone, damn it! He couldn't remember ever being this ill-tempered.

To be fair, he was recovering and it hasn't been a walk in the park. He tried not to dwell on the state of his body, but the constant aches made that difficult. His muscles were still not convinced what their job was. He was ordered to take a short walk three times a day and he still had to depend on a walker and tired barely five minutes into it. He'd go back to bed with shaking limbs and labored breathing. To regain upper body strength, he was given simple exercises that he'd initially laughed off, but soon found himself struggling to finish the assigned sets. He was still not allowed to eat normal food, just stews and soups. He was starting to worry he'd never be able to eat that piece of pie he'd been dreaming of. It wasn't until his last walk of the day that he had reason to hope that he was getting better. As he sat back in bed, his breathing settled within a few moments instead of taking minutes. Feeling optimistic for the first time in days, he turned to his brother and finally took in the heavy silence in the room.

It had been a few days since General Roy Mustang's visit and his brother still seemed to be in a bad mood. He had noticed that his brother wasn't talking much, but he thought it was due to his exhaustion from the fever. He was acting the same way he usually does whenever he was recovering from any injuries; disgruntled. But now that he was paying attention, there was more to it than that. It had never taken Ed this long to share what was bothering him.

Ed lay back in bed staring at the wall on the other side, clearly lost in thought. Al didn't realize until this moment that his brother was not doing well. His eyes seemed dim with dark shadows beneath that brought out the stark contrast with his pale complexion. His hair was listless and falling out of the tie the held it back from his face. But what worried him the most was the blank look in his eyes.

"Brother..." Al said tentatively so as not to startle him.

"What is it, Al?" Ed asked tiredly.

"You've been quiet for a few days. You didn't even argue with them when they brought you milk." He joked weakly. Getting no response he continued. "What's wrong? Did Mustang ask you to do something?"

"Don't worry about it. It's nothing." He replied in a monotone voice.

"How can it be nothing? You haven't been acting like yourself since he left! And you've been really mean to Winry! She even went to spend the night with Ms. Gracia and Elicia. What's going on?" Al demanded.

"Just leave it, Al. And let's leave Winry out of this." He said quietly, finally turning to look at Al.

"You can't keep doing this to yourself. Let me in, Brother." He looked away as he asked timidly, "Do you regret it? That you could only get my body back?" He saw his brother stiffen.

"That's the one thing that I do not regret!" Ed said vehemently. "I would do it again and again if I had to!"

"Then, what is it?" Al cried, his voice shaking.

Ed hesitated. He looked down and finally replied. "That bastard Mustang brought my discharge papers."

"But…but, that's great!" Al exclaimed. "Isn't this what you wanted? I thought they'd ask you to stay longer or give you conditions before you could leave."

Ed remained silent.

"I don't understand. Why are you upset? He's doing you a favor! You don't actually wanna go back to the military, do you?"

When Ed still didn't reply, Al finally snapped. "Do you?"

"I don't know, alright! I don't know! Is that what you want to hear?" A crashing sound came with Ed's shriek. The IV stand having fallen from Ed's violent gesturing. "I don't know what I want." He repeated desperately. "Just let me figure it out on my own."

"No!" Al declared.

"No? What do you mean, no?" Ed asked, looking bewildered.

"I mean, I won't let you figure it out on your own, because, in case you've forgotten, you are not alone! And apparently figuring it out alone is not working. So, no! I'm going to help you and that's that." He finished firmly.

Ed's mouth hung open in shock. It was rather satisfying to get that reaction out of his brother, Al thought. He watched as a nurse and the guard stationed at the door rushed into the room. The nurse was bustling around his brother peppering him with questions as she righted the IV stand beside his bed. Ed reassured them it was just an accident and eventually they left them alone again.

"Al…" Ed started. "This really is something I should figure out on my own."

"No, it really isn't. It's not like I'm ever going to leave you, so whatever you decide will affect the both of us. And I think it's only fair that I have a say in this decision." Al stated calmly.

"But, Al" Ed tried again, obviously intending to argue.

"Are you planning on going off on your own?"

"Well, no."

"If I need help with something, would you tell me to just deal with it on my own?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why is it any different with you? You don't have to handle everything yourself. Asking for help is not a weakness!"

After considering his words for a while, Ed smiled lightly and asked. "When did you get so smart?"

"I've always been smart, brother. You're just too thick-headed to notice."

"Who are you calling thick-headed! I take it back! You're not smart at all!" Ed argued heatedly.

Al grinned at his brother. He knew nothing was resolved, but as long as he could get his brother to share the load, they would get there. Readying himself for the long argument, he relaxed in the bed and tried to push back the grin, so as not to annoy his brother further.

Alphonse was pleased to see some color returning to his brother's face.

Hours Later…

Ed wasn't sure what had woken him up. Just like every other night in the last few days; one second he was drifting and the next he was wide awake. He sighed and shifted a little, settling in for the long wait before he could drift back to sleep. This insomnia was one of the things that made him miss the days when Al couldn't sleep. They would spend hours discussing everything that came to mind, usually what they would do once they got their bodies back and what Al wished he could eat once more. They've certainly come a long way. Not that he'd been in the mood to talk for the last few days, but at least they were back to talking now.

A small shuffle and quiet thump outside his door brought him out of his reverie. He stilled as he heard someone open the door and sneak in quietly. Something was definitely not right. The nurses and doctors when they came in at night, though quiet, never really managed to be completely silent.

Ed heard someone warily approaching his bed. He clenched his left hand and felt the tug of the IV. He opened his eyes just enough to see the shadow of a tall man come closer between him and Al. What the hell was he supposed to do now? How was he going to protect Al? Or himself for that matter? He had to move fast and take whoever it is by surprise. That was the only way! The stinging in his arm eased as he relaxed his clenched fist. Yes, he could do this!

The man finally came to stand by his bed and as he started to lean in, he rapidly punched him in the face with his left fist. He ignored the searing pain in his knuckle as the man recoiled. He grabbed the IV chord and tugged until the stand which held the bag finally came down. He snatched it up before it fell to the floor and swung it around, groaning from the weight of it, to hit the still whimpering man on the side of the head. The man fell to the ground, flat on his back, but still unfortunately conscious.

"Al! Wake up!" He called out. Al's startled eyes met his, but he didn't have time to reassure him. He dropped himself upon the man still carrying the IV stand. He immediately pushed it against the man's throat. But, with the element of surprise finally gone, the man finally started to fight back. With one hand he was clawing at Ed's hand at his throat and with the other he started choking him back. Ed vaguely heard Al calling out, but couldn't quite focus on his words. The room was darkening further around him and black spots began to appear in his peripheral vision. No! He couldn't let the man win.

And yet, despite his resolve, he felt his strength diminish. The man, sensing this, pushed him away roughly. Ed felt his back slam into something. The sound of shattering glass was followed by sharp stings along his face and neck. The cool water helped rouse him a little. He opened his eyes as the man snatched the IV stand from his hand.

"You think you can just get away with anything?" The man seethed, kneeling beside Ed. He roughly shoved the metal shaft into Ed's side. Ed cringed at the hit and hunched up a little, a whimper escaping his lips. "That's right. You're just a kid. Cry all you want, it won't make a difference to me." With that he raised the stand above his head, but before he could swing it down towards Ed, a loud bang shot through the room. Everything suddenly came into clear view as the light was turned on. The man was looking down with pure shock registered on his face, a stream of blood trailing from a hole in his stomach. He coughed up blood and collapsed forward causing the shaft still clutched in his hand to slam into Ed's head. Ed barely registered the loud noises in the room, before he gave in to oblivion.

TBC.

AN/ So, I'm not sure if this counts as a cliffy, but maybe it will get a few of you to review ;)

Would love to hear what you all think! Thanks for following and adding this story to your favorite list.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter 7

Al woke abruptly. What's with all the noise? He turned to grumble at his brother, but was stunned into silence at what he saw. A man fell to the ground as his brother swiped at him with a long stick. What the hell is going on?

"Al, wake up!" Ed called out. Their eyes met briefly before Ed practically pounced on the man, pushing himself out of the bed and onto the fallen man on the floor. He watched his brother struggle with the much larger man for a moment, and his senses finally caught up with him. He needed to help his brother. He started to move, but feeling his muscles tremble, he knew he wouldn't be of any help. Cursing internally, he started shouting for someone to help.

He watched with rising panic as the man seemed to be recovering while his brother grew weaker. He gasped aloud as his brother was pushed to the side and slammed into the bed side table. The following crash from the glass jug falling to the floor made him cringe.

"Brother! Brother! Are you alright? Someone help!" He continued to shout desperately.

Why was no one coming? Wasn't there supposed to be a guard outside the room? His shout for help continued as the man mumbled something and starting attacking Ed with that same stick. Was that the IV stand? He was horrified to see his brother whimper as the man shoved the stick into his side.

"That's right. You're just a kid. Cry all you want, it won't make a difference to me." The man said darkly before raising the pole above his head. That moment seemed to last forever and all he could do was watch; frozen with fear. Before he could think to react or shout once more, a loud bang shot through the room. He winced as the lights we turned on, but couldn't turn to look away from where his brother was lying on the floor. He felt absolutely breathless with shock.

"Brother…" he looked on in horror as the man fell forward. He realized what was gonna happen just a second before it did. The pole still clutched in the man's hand, slammed into his brother's head.

"Brother! Brother!" He called out, the anguish clear in his voice. He struggled to get out of the bed and reach his brother. He heard a few people shouting from outside the room, but couldn't turn his eyes away from his brother's still form.

Just as he managed to slip out of the bed, clutching the side desperately, he was shoved aside. Two men in a military uniform quickly approached the man on the ground, securing him with handcuffs. He was swiftly moved out of the room and chaos ensued.

A swarm of people descended on the room. Al couldn't keep track of anything. Someone was asking him questions and he could only mutter distractedly that he had no idea what was going on. His attention stayed on his brother as a Doctor examined him and barked orders at the others. Al tried to reach his brother, but someone had an arm around him to keep him back.

"Ed! Brother! Wake up!" He called out again, but his brother was still not responding. He finally registered that the person holding him back was talking to him.

"Alphonse, you have to calm down. Your brother will be fine."

Al still couldn't look away from his brother. They finally moved him to the bed and kept him surrounded causing Al to lose sight of him.

"How did this happen?" Al muttered distractedly.

"That's what we're going to find out. Why don't you get back in bed?" Al felt someone lead him back to the bed. He sat back and looked to where his brother lay. His body shook as he took in the mess on the floor; broken glass mixed with bloodied water.

It felt like hours, but was probably only minutes, before the commotion around his brother quieted a little. He looked on worriedly as he was approached by one of the nurses.

"Your brother is going to be fine. He got knocked out from the blow to the head, and head wounds tend to bleed more than others, but I doubt there's any real damage. We'll need to keep an eye out for any signs of a concussion over the next few days. He also has two broken ribs, but for those all he needs is bed rest and we'll make sure he gets plenty of that." Al stared dazedly for a moment, prompting the nurse to continue. "He's going to be fine." She assured him again, placing her hand on his shoulder.

He gave a vague nod, but couldn't manage to say anything back. The room was finally emptying out and he got a clear view of his brother. He was a little too still for Al's liking.

"Why does he have a bandage on his arm? And around his neck?" Al asked anxiously.

"Well, the IV got pulled out of his arm pretty hard, but it's not bleeding anymore and should heal in a day or two. So, for now we'll be using his hand for the IV. As for his neck, there were a few nicks from the broken glass. Most of them aren't deep, so he should be fine."

Al kept staring at his brother. He didn't know how to respond.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" She suggested.

He finally looked away from his brother and turned to the nurse. "How am I supposed to sleep after what happened?"

"I guess you have a point. But… why don't you try? It won't do you or your brother any good if you exhaust yourself."

Al considered that. He wasn't in the mood to argue with anyone. He relaxed further in bed, but kept his eyes on his brother as the activity in the room seemed to calm and finally only the nurse remained. As she turned to turn of the light, Al felt his panic rise.

"No, please keep it on. I need to see him!"

He vaguely noticed the nurse looking his way, before finally leaving the room.

Al heard birds chirping outside the window; dawn must be close. He knew there would be light in the room soon enough, but he couldn't wait that long. He needed to watch over his brother.

xxxxxx

Winry felt her jaw drop as her eyes fell on Ed. How could he look worse? And why was he covered in all these bandages? She hadn't even been gone for that long!

After spending a few stressful days at the hospital, with Ed biting her head off every moment he wasn't basically fighting for his life, she had needed a break. So she'd called up Gracia to see if they were up for a visit. The ensuing offer to spend the night with the added benefit of a hot bath sounded like a godsend and was too tempting to resist.

But now, though slightly more rested than the day before, she was regretting her decision to leave the hospital

"What happened? What's wrong with Ed?" She asked Al who she noticed was sitting up in bed. She gasped as Al looked at her. His eyes were slightly swollen with dark circles beneath and he blinked up blearily at her.

"Brother was attacked. This guy came out of nowhere and tried to kill him, but he fought him off."

"Kill him! But, why? Why would anyone want to hurt Ed?" She exclaimed.

"I don't know." Al said quietly. He turned back to stare at his brother. "He still hasn't woken up. It's been almost six hours. And they're worried that he has a concussion"

Winry could tell from his voice that he was fighting back tears. She approached Ed and let her eyes drift over his too still form.

"Don't worry, Al. I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm here now, why don't you get some rest and I'll watch over him for a bit." She assured Al, turning towards him.

"I don't think I can sleep." He said groggily. She watched as he struggled to keep his eyes open before finally surrendering to his exhaustion.

Winry sighed and turned back to Ed. She leaned closer and pushed his hair back from his face being careful not to move the bandage at his forehead. She was startled when she noticed that Ed had opened his eyes and was looking at her.

"Ed… are you alright?" She whispered. "Let me call the doctor." As she turned to leave, Ed mumbled something then cleared his throat.

"What did you say?" She asked, going back to his side.

"I said, wait." He mumbled. "I wanna talk to you for a minute. Could you… could you help me sit up?"

Winry only hesitated for moment before she started helping out. She placed her hand beneath his back, but stopped when she heard Ed hiss in pain. He had his eyes closed tightly and seemed to be trying to breathe slowly. She pushed a pillow gently behind his back and went and got him some water from the other side of the room. After he drank a little, he settled back and looked to Al.

"Is he asleep?"

"Yeah, he fell asleep right before you woke up. I don't think he slept much after what happened."

Ed continued to stare at his brother. "Winry, I… I'm sorry." He said quietly, finally turning to look her in the eyes. "I know I've been treating you like crap."

"It's alright, Ed."

"No, It really isn't." He interrupted. "You came all the way out here and I know you're trying to help, but… I didn't want you to keep seeing me this way. This isn't the first time that I've broken a promise I made to you. And now I'm even worse off than before."

"No, you're not! Ed, Granny and I will install new Automail for you as soon as you come back to Resembool. I can ask them if we can leave tomorrow if you like."

"That's not what I mean. I had to… I don't know if this is all in my head, but I always thought that you and I would… I don't know... that we're close. And I do care about you, even though it's hard for me to show it. Not that I'm assuming you feel the same!" He sputtered quickly.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I feel… I feel the same way." Winry felt her heart pounding in her chest as she watched Ed's eyes shine for a moment before a dark look passed through them. She couldn't believe they were talking about this; this was the last thing she expected when Ed asked her to talk.

"But, you see, that's why I can never be with you."Winry's heart lurched at that pronouncement.

"What are you talking about?"

Ed looked down at his clenched hand.

"I care about you." He started roughly. "And I can't stand the idea that you could end up with anyone else, but I can't bear the thought that I can't give you everything you could want. I'm … I'm not the same person that started this journey. I'm broken…and…"

"Edward Elric, if you think having Automail means you're broken, then you really are an idiot!" She said heatedly.

"That's not what I meant. It's not just that… I … to get Al back from the gate, I had to… I had to make an exchange…"

"But, Al told me he already made the exchange, that he'd paid the toll from living in a suit of armor for all those years…"

"Yeah, that's what I told him. And that's what he'll continue to believe if I can help it. The thing is, the gate wasn't gonna let him go just like that. What I told him is true to an extent. But, it still wasn't enough to release his body. So, I did the only thing I could think of…"

"What did you exchange?" Winry asked, dreading the answer.

"My future." He said simply, but seeing Winry's horrified look he continued. "Not that my life will be shortened." He hurried to explain. "I just won't ever have children; that was the deal."

Winry continued to stare at him, completely speechless.

"Do you understand now?"

TBC

AN/ I know, I know… I'm a week late with this update! Sorry for the delay, life has no respect for my weekly update schedule and I didn't want to add a chapter I wasn't completely happy with.

Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter! I guess it was a cliffy after all. I appreciate every addition to the favorites and all the follows.

Would love to hear what you think of the reveal! Please, review!


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